IPAnema Silent: A CDPR for Spatial Hearing Experiments

Experiments within the field of applied cognitive psychology examine how humans perceive spatial audio signals emitted by dynamically moving sources. These experiments require a speaker moving silently in front of a test person in all six dimensions. Common manipulators such as serial robots or gantry systems cannot be used in this application as their drive trains (e.g. motors, gearboxes, movement mechanics) are too noisy. Cable-driven parallel robots (CDPRs) have the unique benefit that their motors can be placed far away from their end-effector, which can therefore be moved silently. This work presents the design and implementation of the IPAnema Silent, a silent CDPR with high dynamic capabilities and an optimized workspace for studying the spatial hearing of humans. Based on the requirements of cognitive psychology experiments, the design process for the IPAnema Silent’s layout and mechanical components is presented. Experimental evaluations of the IPAnema Silent’s noise, workspace, dynamic performance, and accuracy show that it satisfies its objectives and is suitable for the application of spatial hearing experiments.